Yesterday, I hauled a drowned shrew out of the pool at the house I'm looking after for the next two weeks. This morning, there were three more of them. I try to rescue the little critters when I can, but I couldn't get to these ones in time; they weren't anywhere near the creepy-crawly pipe. What's with them? I haven't seen so many in a while, but I suppose that's changed now that Summer has finally arrived.
I think I should put some sort of floating platform in the water for them to climb onto until I find them, but I'm not sure what to use. Wood might get heavy and plastic might be too slippery.
I have seen a contraption made of netting and webbing/harness material that one can buy for frogs to climb onto and use to jump out, so maybe making something similar might be an option, if I could afford to buy the materials.
I don't get why people are afraid of small rodents. I've always liked mice, rats and shrews. (They're really quite bright, feisty and socially advanced for creatures their size. I think they're cute, funny little things, but then I'm generally well-disposed to most animals.) Even if I didn't, I still couldn't leave them to drown; it's a horrible way to die and I'm not a cold-hearted or cruel person. I'm pretty sure they don't plunge in on purpose. (Most animals don't commit suicide, as far as I know). At any rate, once they're in they can't get out by themselves.
Oh, FFS, what is wrong with these little things? (About an hour ago at time of writing, when I went to check on my washing, I found and pulled out another body. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there this morning.) I know they can't help it, but I don't want to be pulling carcasses out of the pool multiple times every day. I'd far rather rescue the living. To that effect, I've made a rather primitive raft from old pool noodles, shade cloth and string. Hopefully, that gives them something with enough purchase on which to survive until I get to them.
Lead image: Photo by Juan Salamanca from/on Pexels